Meeting You
by iwillstillopenthewindow
Summary: He wanted to go against the inevitable. He needed him to live.


**A/N:** This idea suddenly came to me while I was studying for Physics. Hmmmm.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own No.6.

* * *

He breathed in the smell of paper and let the feeling of home sink in.

The librarian already knew who he was, for he frequented this place. He gave her a polite smile as he passed the counter on the way to his usual spot.

Nezumi occupied a table situated next to a glass window. He, of course, came here to read. He already picked out stacks of books, some tall enough to conveniently hide his face from everyone else.

Only an hour passed by, but he had already finished reading one. It was a bit short, but the plot was nice. He turned to the window to place the novel away from the clutter of books. He'd borrow it later when it was time to go home.

Now, Nezumi didn't really bother looking outside. He knew that he'd only see the usual, cars, trees, passersby… and the usual didn't really matter to him that much. However, when he looked up, something that normal people would consider as 'usual' piqued his interest.

There were two kids, one was a girl and the other was a boy. They were sitting under a big tree just a few meters away from the library.

Nezumi squinted his eyes and saw that there was someone else with them. The shade of the tree blanketed the person in light darkness and it was hard to see clearly.

It would seem that fate was on his side that day, for just as Nezumi was about to look away, sunlight peeked through the tree's branches, just as the brown haired boy smiled.

'Maybe that was how it would feel like when you look directly at the sun,' he thought as he closed his eyes, not due to the 'blinding pain', but because he wanted to tuck that smile away a bit longer.

* * *

The next day, his table was empty except for the same book that he liked the day before. He wasn't even reading it, actually.

Nezumi had his chin propped up in the palm of his right hand, his grey eyes already looking out the window.

He spent a good two hours staring at the group and trying to figure out what shade of brown the boy's eyes were.

The staring-from-afar continued for a week. He was planning to continue it today, but Nezumi felt his heart drop when he looked outside and saw nothing under the tree.

Oh well. He glanced at the book he held in one hand. It had been his company for the past few days, and it was about time he read another.

He turned to go to the bookshelves and almost bumped into somebody.

"Ah! Excuse me."

Nezumi looked down and as soon as he saw brown, he knew that it was him.

"I wasn't looking at where I was going and-"

"…It's okay."

Brown was carrying a lot of books. 'Picture books?' Nezumi thought as he saw the colorful covers.

Before he knew what he was doing, he had already taken a few. Brown looked flustered.

"O-oh! Thank you very much!"

Nezumi looked around. The library was quite full today. He sighed and placed the books on his table. He glanced back at Brown, who seemed to be rooted on the spot.

"You can sit with me if you want."

That seemed to snap him out of whatever reverie he was having.

* * *

Brown introduced himself as 'Shion' that day.

_shion shion shion shion shion shion shion_

Nezumi introduced himself as well.

Shion liked reading.

Shion liked to smile and laugh while he was talking.

Nezumi liked that.

He used to read to kids outside, under the tree, he said, as he pointed outside the window.

Pretending not to know, Nezumi just nodded.

"Used to?"

His smile went away.

"Yeah," Shion looked down. "They… moved away."

* * *

Nezumi went to the library earlier today.

Shion was already there.

He was wearing a beanie today.

He was also smiling.

* * *

Nezumi went to the library today.

Shion was already there.

He was wearing a beanie today.

It looked like the one he wore yesterday, but in a different color.

He was still smiling.

* * *

Nezumi went to the library today.

Shion was already there.

He was still wearing a beanie.

He had dark circles under his eyes.

He was still smiling.

* * *

Nezumi went to the library today.

Shion was already there.

He was still wearing a beanie.

He was dozing off.

* * *

Nezumi went to the library today.

Shion was already there.

He was still wearing a beanie.

He was still smiling.

He looked different, though.

* * *

Nezumi went to the library today.

Shion was already there.

He was still wearing a beanie.

His smile faded away.

At the end of the day, Nezumi wanted to fade away as well.

* * *

Nezumi went to the library today.

There was no one there.

* * *

Nezumi didn't go to the library today.

He went to the hospital instead.

* * *

Nezumi went to the hospital today.

Shion was still there.

He wasn't wearing a beanie anymore.

Nezumi wanted to call him Brown like he used to.

But he felt that it would be wrong.

For the only brown left were his eyes.

* * *

Nezumi went to the hospital today.

He wished he got there earlier.

* * *

The next time they met, Nezumi was a journalist and he was a photographer.

They worked on a piece together and ate dinner at a fancy restaurant.

Shion felt comfortable with him.

"It feels nostalgic." He said with a smile.

Nezumi wanted to test the waters and let out a small "Brown."

Shion didn't understand.

Nezumi didn't expect him to.

When Nezumi woke up the next day and watched the news, he wanted to go back to bed and bury himself in his sheets and maybe never wake up again.

"It's a pity… about what happened to your partner… extremely talented… bullet wound…dead on arrival…killer was caught…"

* * *

The next time they meet, they were in a library again.

Nezumi was a 26-year-old professor, Shion was a college student.

He was having problems with History, and Nezumi went to his table to help him.

They were laughing about chickens a few hours later.

The worst thing about accidents is that you never really know anything about it. You never know when or where it will happen, or who it will take.

* * *

After quite some time, it was starting to hurt too much.

Too much that Nezumi tried to avoid brown haired boys and their brown eyes and their sunny smiles.

He was 18 and just got back from the market that day, and he can't find his keys.

He wanted to punch a wall so badly when he saw a brown haired boy running towards him, shouting "You dropped this!"

He felt his resolve crumbling as he smiled.

"Thank you."

"Oh! No problem. I live next door, by the way. What a coincidence." He held his hand out.

"I'm Shion."

_no no no not this again_

It was a fire this time.

* * *

Of all the places

Of all the people

Of all the circumstances

_Why_

* * *

It was September 7th. Nezumi knew that it was Shion's birthday. He had told him a lot of times already.

And yet here he was, running around while he was bleeding from a wound. It was raining too. What a beautiful birthday, Shion.

He hasn't met him yet this time.

So, what if he dies first?

Will it change anything?

And then a window opened. Screaming. Brown. Shion.

Windows will be the end of him, he swore.

'Just one night, please.' He thought as he squeezed the hand in his.

"Living people sure are warm."

The morning after, he ran.

_'please please please please be safe please'_

* * *

Years later, Nezumi found himself running back.

_He's alive and he's going to stay that way._

* * *

_What's wrong with him what do I do oh elyurias_

There was a bee.

Shion was in so much pain.

Nezumi saw Shion on a hospital bed with his beanie for a second and he rushed to get the first aid kit.

He's still alive.

Brown went and gave way to white and red.

* * *

Nezumi likes this Shion. _He's always liked him but still_

This Shion was smart.

This Shion smiled.

This Shion can sass him around.

This Shion made him feel.

This Shion was dangerous.

This Shion was leaving him.

He tried to savor the kiss. It was their first after all this time.

He found himself crying instead.

* * *

Punches were thrown, punches were accepted.

"Don't you dare give me a goodbye kiss ever again!"

_not again not again not again not again_

"Swear it!"

_please please please_

"I swear."

_please_

* * *

"You've already repaid whatever favor you owe me!"

"You don't understand how you saved me that night!"

and in that library

and in that restaurant

and in that beach

and in that school

and in that…

The list would go on and on and on

* * *

This was hell.

He was bleeding and wounded and Shion just killed someone.

Was this what he got for trying?

For trying to keep him alive?

"It's my fault, it's my fault, it's my fault…"

* * *

"SAFU!"

Safu was new. This was the only time that he met her. She was important to Shion, so important that he was risking his life for her.

But they were too late.

'No no no no no!'

That was Nezumi's final thought before he blacked out.

* * *

_Nezumi please wake up nezumi nezumi nezumi_

What?

Now he was dying?

'Dammit.'

_Where did I go wrong?_

_Where did we go wrong?_

* * *

He woke up and saw Shion by his side.

He was alive. They were alive.

'This has got to be a new record.' He thought.

* * *

They did it.

The wall fell.

They were alive.

They did it.

* * *

They fell asleep when they got to Shion's home.

Nezumi met Karan, Shion's mother. She was quite nice and loving.

Nezumi woke up before Shion did.

He spent a few minutes staring at the other boy's sleeping face.

He stroked the scar on his face, relishing in the warmth radiating from him.

He's alive.

* * *

"The world means nothing without you, Nezumi. Nothing at all."

_I feel the same way_

This would be the first time that Nezumi ever got a chance to say goodbye to Shion.

_Not goodbye._

"A vow. Reunion will come."

_Stay well and wait for me like a good boy please_

The sky was painted with oranges and yellows that day.

* * *

He breathed in the smell of paper and let the feeling of home sink in.

The librarian already knew who he was, for he frequented this place. He gave her a polite smile as he passed the counter on the way to his usual spot.

Nezumi occupied a table situated next to a glass window. He already picked out stacks of books, some tall enough to conveniently hide his face from everyone else.

He looked up when he heard the chair being pulled back.

He smirked. "You're late."

Shion loosened his tie and stuck his tongue out.

"The meeting just ended and I'm tired."

Nezumi put down the book he was reading and gracefully went to stand up behind Shion's seat.

"Ah-ah. That's no good. You may be one of the higher-ups here in No.6, but tiring yourself out won't do."

He started massaging Shion's sore shoulders, eliciting soft groans from the boy.

He leaned down next to his ears and huskily whispered, "You're still late though."

Nezumi laughed as he saw how Shion's cheeks reddened.

The man hmph-ed and looked away, his arms crossed over his chest.

"W-whatever! At least I'm here."

Nezumi's lips slowly gave way to a smile. He let his hands slide down from Shion's shoulders and wrapped him in an embrace, getting him a squeaky 'H-hey! Nezumi!'.

It had been three years.

And a lot more than that if he would count the years before this miracle started.

"Yeah."

Nezumi buried his face in the crook of Shion's neck.

Was it okay now?

"This feels so nostalgic." Shion said as he turned to look at his companion.

Nezumi just nodded.

"Say, Your Majesty…"

"Hmmm?"

"…would you like to listen to a story?"

A few hours later, both of them were crying.

Then they were laughing.

* * *

The next day, they met under a tree a few meters away from the library.


End file.
